A mini-diorama - of sorts


eTraxx

eTraxx

Member
I've been posting to this forum for a bit now .. figured I should post up some of my attempts at modeling. I downloaded a Cardstock model - an Outhouse from Paper Creek Model Works.

Photo from Website :
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I printed it twice and used one copy to make the inside of the structure. I used some 2"x4" scale lumber to frame the door and then I built a platform for it to sit on from 6"x6" lumber and planked it with 'boards' from the Cardstock model. The reason for the platform is that I'm going to position the outhouse over the side of a cliff .. for 'waste management' .. as it were :)

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Anyhoo. The other day I made a rock mold. For the 'plug' I carved some plaster. I wanted to see if I could make something that looks like layered sedimentary rock. Think it came pretty well for a first attempt. I decided to make a mini-diorama for my outhouse. I had a small 5"x7" wood from the craft section at Walmart so I built up some blue Styrofoam and used the rock mold to make a mini-cliff for the mini-diorama. Ha.

I used the mold twice for either side and then scribed the plaster to connect the two. This gives me an opportunity to play with coloring rocks. Again, for a first time (well .. first time in like 20 years) think it came out pretty well. The fun part about this is that the truck (another project) is on a road (it will be). To the left will be some standing water. At the top left in the photo will be where I will mount the outhouse/platform. It will be hanging off the cliff and over the pool. I know .. it's warped .. but is fun and a chance to play with different materials. Still need to add soil/dirt on top .. a twisty tree with the roots hanging over the cliff face .. lots of fun in a small space.

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Gee Ed, if this what your starting attempts look like I can't wait to see how your serious attempts turnout. Nice job on both the crapper and the the rock.
 
Have the outhouse set in place on the cliff over the pool ..
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Still need to add a roof. Can't let it rain on my HO people when they are otherwise occupied .. oh yea. Braces from that outer 6x6 back to the cliff. Can't forget that. Darn. Just noticed there's a place on the cliff below the 'little house' that needs scribing .. :/
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The pool at the base of the cliff is made using a water base varnish. Still need to add more layers .. and maybe Lilly pads .. some junk like an old tire would be nice too ..
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Worked on the road running along the cliff. Whoever drives this needs a 4-wheel drive 'cause it's in very poor condition ...
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Thanks Gary. It's really something I SHOULD have been doing a long time ago .. small dios to teach myself the things like .. making roads or ponds. I am making a tree next .. 'kinda sorta' following the instructions that Grove Den gave for making trees .. hopefully it will come out looking good. (it's old and twisted .. will have roots running over the top of the cliff and hanging over). Once that is in place .. next will be groundcover. :) .. (got some static grass. Don't have a fancy machine .. or even an un-fancy one .. aka .. Electronic Fly swatter. I DO have a balloon .. see how that works)
 
Great looking work, Ed. The only thing I'd change is making the road a little more smooth. Potholes and things are fine but the road looks too much like a rough rock casting.
 
Thanks Jim. The road was intentionally made very rough and damaged .. supposed to look like it is either close to or has been abandoned. Still .. I let it dry out overnight with the intention of sending in HO sized workers later today to do some patching. I also want to experiment with some highlighting of the pavement. One thing I need to do is work on getting a better photograph ... or I should say .. a better way to photograph the model as the one I posted .. to me .. looks 'muddy'. One of the problems is that I am not putting enough light .. or reflected light on the model so that the camera can take a better photo. I have looked around the net and basically you build a light box or at minimum .. whitish reflecting surfaces behind and to either side of the subject being photographed .. then a couple of lights providing the illumination. Seems like a lot of times what the photo is showing and what I am seeing are two different things.
 
Ed, one of the nice things about dioramas is that you can pick them up and move them outside. You'll never indoor lighting as good as natural sunlight. Position it so the shadows look about right and I think you'll get the pictures you want.

As far as the road, how about a little smoother with a hint of weatherd white lines still showing? That, plus a "Road Closed" barrier at one end, will give the viewer a better idea of what he's looking at.
 
Want a tree to 'plant' on top of the cliff with a squat, gnarled trunk, broken and twisted limbs and roots hanging over the cliff. Got this far on the first tree .. not happy with the way the limbs and foliage came out .. so .. starting another .. from lessons learned. Still .. the trunk and roots were looking good here. Note that once I get a tree I like .. I will then embed it in dirt and grass and bushes and all that stuff ..

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I basically followed (or attempted to) Grove den's 'How to Make Trees and Shurbs'

  • Built the armature similar to the way he did .. just not as well. I made sure there were extra lengths at the bottom to weave some roots ..
  • Used glue on the wire then sprinkled on tea leaves. That was all I had at the time .. very rough texture (actually what I wanted with the old tree) grove den uses sawdust which I will prob try
  • Covered the bark (tea leaves) with Modge Podge which smooths and blends
  • Colored with arcylics and some AI wash
  • Sprayed contact cement on the branches .. sprinkled on some cut up fiberglass filter and then sprayed w/gray primer. Worked so so .. will try stretched polyester next time
  • When all that was dry, sprayed with glue again and tossed on Woodlands Scenic ground foam

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.. the prob is that while it is ok .. I can do better. I've been playing around a bit with wire trying to get the branching better. I'll post up on it when I make the 'new and improved' version
 
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Whenever I see really great rock, I wonder about the paint job. Types of paint, random or designed color scheme, finish. Could you share any of these details?
 
logandsawman said:
Whenever I see really great rock, I wonder about the paint job. Types of paint, random or designed color scheme, finish. Could you share any of these details?
Click to expand...

Sure. I pretty much followed the 'generic' procedure ..

1) Cast the rock using a rock mold I made .. the side and the front where the pond is. Went back and scribed to connect the two.
2) Sprayed the entire casting with A/I wash (Alcohol/India Ink)
3) This is where I did it a little different I guess. I sat it under an overhead light .. so that overhead light cast sharp shadows. Everywhere it was lit .. I semi-dry brushed a white tempera paint. (I wanted to get rid of that A/I wash tint on those surfaces)
4) Took my rock color (From Dave Frary .. 'Basic Earth Color = 1/3 latex + 2/3 water) .. take some of that .. again mix 1/3 of BEC to 2/3 water and label that Basic Rock Color .. and using a spray bottle misted the casting. When that had dried a bit .. I came back .. this time from above and sprayed -down- several more passes.

My BRC (Basic Rock Color) is a blah tanish/brownish latex. At this point .. I felt it looked too bland. So added a little color ..

5) Took some FolkArt Terra Cotta and dry brushed all the 'bits' that was highlighted by the light .. basically everything not shadowed.

6) Gave everything an overall spritzing with the Rock Color to blend it in

7) Took A/I wash and a brush and went and slopped the wash on all the shadowed areas.

8) Took some FolkArt 'Coffee Bean' and dry brushed all the shadow areas

9) Took pure white and very lightly dry brushed the highlighted areas

10) Took the A/I wash and a fine brush .. and loaded the brush and touched the tip to all the cracks and crevices so they sucked the wash in.

That's .. generally .. how it went. You understand that this wasn't like a lock-step process .. more of a .. stand back and go .. ok .. what does it need ..
 
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